Taking Away The Romanticism Of The South-Korean Militia…
Military enlistment is a topic which is often swept under the carpet in South-Korean culture, or romanticised in stories near the finale as part of the “ long wait” between lovers at the end of a drama storyline . ( The drama itself presenting a parody of this scene when a young woman causes a scene to promote her “ love” for her boyfriend enrolling only to present a stark contrast in the circumstances afterwards .)
PD and screenwriter Han Jun Hee as well as screenwriter Kim Bo Tong takes an anti-romantic ‘Fullmetal Jacket’ - style approach to the short series ‘ D.P’ The enlisted men alongside Jun Ho are viewed as nothing more that batch coded weapons and those who leave their side are viewed as merely loose-cannons without names or dignity . Yet the drama is unsurprisingly without director Han Jun Hee’s wry sense of comedy either- sardonic and satirical rather than sweet and slapstick, but woven well into the introduction of characters and the narrative.
The cast undeniably helped to make the storyline come to life. Actor Jung Jae In did a brilliant job ( like the rest of the cast) as main lead Jun Ho ( Jung Hae In). A troubled youth who shares his own conflicts and troubles before enlisting in the army and being forced into the military defect arrest team , Jun Ho becomes morally conflicted over the reasons why men leave the army for various personal reasons and the dire corruption of the authorities. From romantic heroism turned tragic to bittersweet realism, the duller and stark cinematography presents a harsher and prominent message to viewers about these stories shown per episode .
On a more critical note the drama isn’t without its flaws either. Whilst the messages are prominent as a criticism against the authorities and corruption ‘ D.P.’ began falling short especially after the 3/4 mark. The acting notably did degrade slightly as well as delivered line deliverances, and the pacing began to struggle Adding to the dilemma was defining more about Jun Ho’s calling of identity from given inferences in more vivid detail to explain his ideologies, as well as during the last few episodes. On the other hand the ending was certainly unexpected-profound and helping to define the key messages of the drama, but will likely leave viewers with their jaws dropping.
Overall a fairly good watch though admittedly not for the faint hearted . The pacing and more definitive character writing were sadly slight letdowns for this drama but ‘ D.P’ does make up for it with a profound and critique about the South-Korean military enlistment scheme, as well as using a catchy OST and moody cinematography to present these messages clearly .
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Will This Drama Win Your ‘ Affection’ ?
Screenwriter Han Hee Jung and director Song Hyun Wook’s ‘ The King’s Affection’ attempted to offer viewers the best of two worlds; a Sageuk ( historical drama) and an arguably more “ modern” love story. However against its more intriguing setup ‘ The King’s Affection’ found itself shoehorned into a slow-paced trope extravaganza by the second-half.Han Hee Jung’s facilitated writing techniques in the first-half of the series seemed to indicate towards foundational world-building and characters- rough around the edges with mystique driving forward many of the characters, but still establishing an intriguing storyline. However whilst Han Hee Jung’s first-part soared with potentiality the actuality of the latter-half gradually began to descend into a cataclysmic attempt to keep the plot interesting- uninspiring “ plot twists” led little time to truly develop more intriguing characters whilst seemingly paramount plot lineups were given an anticlimactic or loose-end outcome.
Of course a director or screenwriter choosing to convey modern twists or themes in a historical drama isn’t always necessarily a “ bad thing”. It can give opportunities to highlight or echo current issues, themes which are still present in today’s world and present different takes on the past through the director/ screenwriter’s objectives. However whilst it was easy to understand ‘ The King’s Affection’ desired depiction of different forms of love, it often felt as though the series would rarely touch upon more prominent issues of the time and today ( e.g. gender expectations, political division in society, social status and prejudice) in more depth. This often resulted in the second-half of the series feeling like a composed accumulation of romantic tropes and cliches against a gradually decadent plot-drive by the final episodes .
Main actress Park Eun Bin undeniably offered one of the strongest performances of the series; adding an air of charm to her onscreen counterpart. The female lead Dami was undeniably the epitome of the “ inserted” and frequently-used cross-dressing trope by having to play the role of her brother l the Crowned Prince Lee throughout most of the events of the series . Whilst with plot context it was necessary for driving the storyline, there were a lot of loose threads considering other story points including exactly why her grandfather ordered her to be killed ( aside from merely just being an “ unnecessary girl”), as well as one evident fact; the female lead’s feminine features and vocal intonations are evident even as her male counterpart . Admittedly whilst this may have just been passed off by members of the royal court it did hit a point blank in plot logic when many scenes and close-ups easily giving away Park Eun Bin’s softer features. Later episodes did little to truly allow Dami to come to terms with these cut-out subplots surrounding her storyline, ultimately reducing her seemingly intriguing character-drive to the equivalent of cannon fodder by the latter-half.
Costarring alongside Park Eun Bin is idol-actor Rowoon. Rowoon’s performance as main lead Jung Ji Woon did undeniably see some surprisingly bittersweet performance moments as his onscreen persona comes to terms with his sexuality and growing feelings for the Prince, as well as his initial motives for entering the palace. However Ji Woon’s initial establishment as the “ mysterious tutor” is subverted in later episodes to the “ lovelorn sweetheart”; pledging his own life to “ protecting” Hwi ( despite his initial reasons early on in the series) and benignly chasing after the female
lead’s affections in a dragged-out and anticlimactic love story. This often resulted in a test of patience for viewers as Ji Woon and Hwi’s sense of gradual chemistry and growth was shoehorned into a lacklustre onscreen relationship despite dominant screen time.
As a consequence of lacking development time potentially intriguing characters such as Lee Hyun-Hwi’s protective cousin ( Nam Yoon Su), the Prince’s mysterious bodyguard ( Choi Byung Chan), Shin So Eun - the daughter of the Minister of Interior ( Bae Yoon Kyung) and Noh Ha-Kyung; the youngest daughter of the Minister of War ( Jung Chae Yeon) were often enforced into staid plot setups and cliches with their character arcs and drives often being cut short.
The cinematography and OST of the series could admittedly vary from scene to scene. Whilst there were some admittedly beautiful shots and powerful soundtracks combined with scenes of the palace and period outfits presented by director Song Hyun Wook, more subtle emotions and scenes could often feel lacklustre from poorly-placed camera angles and song choices onscreen.
So what is left to say about ‘ The King’s Affection’? Is it worth watching or is it a waste of time? The ‘ King’s Affection’ is the epitome of a “ hot mess” series - stunning outfits, an intriguing premise, a fairly good cast lineup and an especially dynamic performance from main actress Park Eun Bin undeniably remained the drama’s greatest takeaways. However the twenty-episode formula applied to a storyline which was written better for no more than sixteen- episodes, created a slow-moving and disengaging second-half for viewers with intriguing subplots and characters left in the background in order to make way for a lacklustre romance which gradually dwindled to an unsurprisingly anticlimactic resolution. Overall whilst the 20-episode drama whilst not unwatchable and certainly decent enough if you are willing to watch out of sheer boredom, it does admittedly lack a more definitive spark of feeling well-rounded also.
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Certainly Overrated For What CLOY Actually Gives Us As Viewers...
Whilst this comment will most likely be lost amongst others, I must admit that I was fairly amazed just looking through the top comments as to how many people gave this show 10/10 upon all categories , with few being able to critically and respectfully note some of the more glossed over issues of the drama as well ( particularly towards life in North Korea).Do not get me wrong. Crash Landing On You was actually quite a good show, however, would I actually say that it was “ good” enough to be seen as the “ “ BEST SHOW EVER WRITTEN” , worth 10/10 on here and raving reviews on other websites ? Probably not .In all honesty, I can already think of numerous K- Dramas out there which have tackled the theme of relationships and even issues over North Korea more in depth and realistically than this drama as well as better pacing . ( Korean Peninsula , Spy, Iris and even The King 2 Hearts .)
However, let’s not bring this drama down entirely. Crash Landing On You was an entertaining rom-com and this was particularly seen through the comical gold and actual intrigue between the cultural differences of the group of our North- Korean soldiers and our female lead Yoon Se- Ri played by Son Ye- Jin. ( Language choices, gestures, popular culture etc. ) Additionally, praise must also be given for renowned scriptwriter Park Ji- Eun ( Legend Of The Blue Sea, My Love From The Star) daring to tackle the trickier concept of an international and humanising taboo relationship between a North- Korean solider ( Hyun Bin) and a South- Korean chabeol heiress ( Son Ye-Jin).
Although it makes for good script material, most of the show’s centralisation in North Korea did bring one flaw to the show, where the premise “ write what you know” wasn’t always the best solution for Ji- Eun. Whilst the show did share some evident cultural differences and dangers of life in North Korea ( especially surrounding our second Male lead played by Kim Jung- Hyun), it was never exactly going to be from the get-go a fly on the wall documentary of what life is actually like in one of the most isolated countries in the world. Yet even by Crash Landing On You’s standards , it was fairly eye brow raising to try and gloss over the oppression , lack of freedom of speech and even the fact that North- Korea is a communist dictatorship with the classic and beyond comical element of having a department store ( a very consumerist South-Korean element) and “ Rich Ahjummas” in a country where money restrictions are so severe.
Whilst I do appreciate that the show was try to humanise our characters ( and did this successfully to some extent) by showing North- Koreans to be actually human beings rather than the “ enemy” and “ threats”, it still felt poorly tackled how the show decided to gloss over a lot of these more predominant issues over actual circumstances for many North-Koreans in order to add to the angst and humanity of our characters. This also moves on to a strange plot point over our two main characters as well as Se- Ri’s debates over suicide only being mentioned when it was necessary to earlier or later storyline. ( There was little explanation over this element of Se- Ri’s decisions which would have given her depth apart from just Ji-Eun just wanting to add angst before the big plot twist in the finale).
So, what are my final words to you upon this drama? Is it worth watching, or is it a waste of time? Probably the biggest thing I should say that is Crash Landing On You isn’t a terrible drama and has a lot of fun playing with the renowned tropes of rom-coms. The ending is bittersweet, the concept is quite interesting, the characters and cast will grow on you and the cinematography and filming locations ( particularly in Switzerland and Mongolia) are gorgeous . On the other hand, the pacing simply falls after the halfway point to a slump, the glossing over and the attempts to write a mini- Seoul in Pyongyang were ridiculous in addition to the portrayal of North Korea and certain characters.
It can probably be concluded that whilst good, the show is just a little too overrated . If you’re looking for a binge-watch and something to easily watch and throw aside, it’s a perfect watch, however, it’s fair to say that if you’re looking for actual depth, characterisation and sensical storyline, then there are so many other dramas out there to consider.
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True Beauty; “ A Love And Hate Relationship”
Let’s be honest. The original webtoon of “ True Beauty” has always had either a “ love and hate” relationship even amongst fans; the main heroine has little character growth, her relationships and decisions are questionable ,and the storyline hits a major snag after the halfway point as well.Respectfully we should always try to take a step-back when watched a drama adapted from an original webtoon, novel or a reboot as a standalone production; writers often make very different decisions ( whether for better or worse) than the original creator with either storyline, themes or characters, and it is certain to say that writer Lee Shi Eun , did make some necessary and unnecessary changes in TVN’s latest eponymous drama adaption of the webtoon.
The biggest change to note is the predominant setting of the drama on our female lead Lim Ju Kyung ( Moon Ga Young) in high school for a major proportion of the series. Whilst naturally this did see the series brush over some notably darker issues of bullying, abuse and academic pressure, this also gave writer Shi Eun more playing ground with the joys and delights of intrinsic “ teen angst” and overused teen drama cliches. From the evident love interests of Suho ( Cha Eun Woo) and Han Seo Jun ( Hwang In Yeop) for our female lead, to other issues of bullying and love rivals on top, Shi Eun pulls at all the stops to make True Beauty, an overly cliche and “ sugarsweet” romance drama with more and more ridiculous tropes and scenarios as the episodes progress.
Nonetheless it is wrong to write off that the show didn’t do anything well either, in particular towards our actors.
Whilst Ga Young did have a couple of questionable acting moments, for a major proportion of the series, she perfectly captured the awkwardness, humour and more angst-ridden moments of our female lead. Similarly whilst Eun Woo is certainly a fairly veteran actor within romances , some of his past “ leading man” performances have come off as a little “ wooden” and lacklustre . It wouldn’t be lying to say that his role as Suho doesn’t not stand out as much as some of his previous works , however, it is prominent that Eun Woo did add a level of genuine heart and comedy to his role as Suho as well. Notably rising star Hwang In Yeop ‘s performance as Seo Jun has caught a lot of attention by viewers and fans with a surprising level of awkwardness, emotion and angst behind Seo Jun as a fleshed-out character, something which certainly must be given praise for as well.
This of course does move on to the show’s tackling of characterisation throughout the series, with some notably mixed results by the ending . The biggest elephant in the room must be addressed through the character of Kang Soo Jin ( Park Yoo Na). Similar to her original webtoon character, Soo Jin is sighted as a “ natural beauty” who lives in an abusive household and has a complicated relationship with Su Ho, however, the most notable change from the webtoon occurs within her 180- degree personality change in the beginning from a conniving social media influencer in the webtoon , to a studious and angelic friend for Ji Kyung during the drama. Honestly, Soo Jun’s character introduction had a lot of potential in comparison to her webtoon counterpart , with a seemingly strong of morality and strength by notably helping Ji Kyung out from an awkward situation during their journey to school on the bus before even getting to know her.
As most romantic cliches have proven, however, female animosity is the adored cliche of screenwriters, and it soon provides a downwards slope for Soo Jin as both a character and an individual as well. It is important to advocate that it is not necessarily Soo Jin’s feelings towards Soo Ho which make her suddenly a “ terrible person” over the course of the series, but rather how screenwriter Shi Eun unevenly mismatched Soo Jin’s later actions and decisions ( especially towards Ji-Kyung) near the finale.Whilst Shi Eun attempted to amend this in the final episodes, the damage had already been done quite irrevocably, possibly making Kang Soo Jin, the epitome of writing a terrible second female lead.
On a more positive note, however, the most prominent praise for characterisation must be given to Ju Kyung’s development as our heroine ( especially in comparison to the webtoon). Although it was a little painful that Ju Kyung did not talk out about her more dire decision in episode 1 to her family and still retained oblivious naivety at times ( stereotypically to Soo Jin’s feelings) , she did gradually begin to learn to grow more self-confidence and respect for herself as an individual ; something which is an important stage for any healthy relationship.
Equally Suho upon first glance, was intrinsically cliche and effectively a “ Mary- sue” of the drama and webtoon world ; overly” good-looking” , stylish and intelligent, however, alongside Seo Jun, Suho had some notable character growth as a character passed off as “impassive and aloof”, to being a notably non-judgemental individual towards physical appearances, but rather assessing someone based upon their individual personalities and actions . ( Perhaps the one aspect which would have intrinsically explained this more to
watchers, would have been to have the included the key aspect of Suho’s background as a ‘ half Japanese-Korean’ , resulting in him often being bullied from a young age and determining physical appearance as meaningless ; something clearly left out of the show in order to avoid controversy by Shi Eun.) From opening up about some aspects of his difficult past and childhood, his buddying friendship to blossoming feelings for Ju Kyung as well as refreshingly partially- reconciling with Seo Jun, did allow Suho to have some decent characterisation(despite the array of cliches that the show threw in our way) .
So, this leaves us on the big question; is it actually worth watching? True Beauty will always have a love-hate relationship with drama and webtoon fans - the storyline is sugary sweet ( with little sense of realism or grittiness despite the “ angst” apparent in the storyline), the tropes overtake actual story investment and some of the characters are fairly abandoned by the ending of the drama. Nevertheless there are some good things to note about the show; the OST is fairly catchy, the cast help to flesh- out all of our characters and the majority of our main protagonists have some deeper character development over the course of the series. Therefore it is fair to say that it really depends what you are seeking from this show; a cute, fluffy and unoriginal teen drama which you can binge watch? Then, definitely. Something to actually invest time into an original portrayal of the difficulties of romantic relationships as students? Then, probably not as there are certainly better dramas out there to consider.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Slow Descent Into Hell…
Life is rarely a straightforward and narrow road and for artist Hee Joo (Hyun-Jung Go), her road seems to be an incessant path of bumps, twists and turns as she gradually begins her descent into “ Hell”.
The storyline places emphasis upon unravelling questions towards Hee Joo’s fall from grace.The female lead seems to have all ; she had a rough start but now has two beautiful children, a doting husband, a lovely home, and a successful art career, yet something still seems to haunt the female lead . Yet when a terrible incident happens to her daughter Ri-Sa (Su-an Kim), Hee-Joo is shocked to end up meeting someone she used to know in her past Hae Won (Shin Hyon Bin); a ghost of her former lively-self. Hee Joo and Hae Won’s encounter marks the beginning of a hellish journey that will test and trial everything that Hee-Joo believes she already knows…
Adapted to the small screen by director Im Hyun Wook ( ‘ People You May Know’) and screenwriter Yoo Bo Ra ( ‘ Just Between Lovers’, ‘ Snowy Road’) from Jung So Hyeon’s novel ‘ Someone Who Looks Like You’ , ‘ Reflection Of You’ takes a noticeably darker and bittersweet tone than most melodrama revenge-tales, and a slow-burn plot which will test viewers’ patience spans to the maximum.
Of course this isn’t to say that there isn’t intrigue for viewers surrounding the plot premise or initial start; it wastes no time hooking audiences ( shown as a literal metaphor through the fishing line thrown into water in the first episode) and adds a few little threads to keep the series interesting; the mysterious and unconscious John Doe visited by Hee Joo’s husband who later disappears, the tension between Hee Joo and her affluent , aloof mother-in-law , Hae Won’s use of an alias as well as her evident connection to Hee Joo .
The acting front of the series was admittedly fairly good. Whilst there were a few questionable line deliverances at times it’s undeniable that our main cast really shone throughout . Hyun-Jung Go delivered a brilliant performance as her complicated onscreen persona Hee-Joo whilst Shin Hyon Bin would often steal the limelight as Hae Won ; the chillingly vengeful, enigmatic and mysteriously paradoxical character who acted as the main foil and plot drive throughout ‘ Reflection Of You’.
Yet amongst screenwriter Yoo Bo Ra’s smoke and mirrors tactic through using mysterious subplots and haunting scenes to shield viewers from the actual truth of the past and events to follow, ‘ Reflection Of You’ isn’t without its more evident loose threads either.
The series is undeniably slow-paced. Whilst this is a necessary tactic for keeping the storyline afloat and the input of cliffhangers during most episodes helped the drama to gradually reach its apex , ‘ Reflection of You ‘ could often ward off viewers and potential newcomers. The series would often become bogged down with its arbitrary soap-opera trope-worthy moments, occasional out-of-place transitions and use of over-the-top dialogue and line deliverances. Whilst it does present a form of ( intentional or unintentional ) dramatic irony in the lavish and melodramatic world of ‘ Reflection Of You’, it could often create a sporadic and disjointed plot with many loose plot ends sticking out like a saw thumb by the ending of the series.
The finale of ‘ Reflection Of You’ undeniably divided audiences; a final conclusion towards the twisted world of the series, but leaving a lot of unanswered questions and logic on the sideline with main characters Hae-Won and Hee Joo’s arcs feeling underdeveloped .
So is ‘ Reflection Of You’ actually worth watching or is it a waste of time? ‘ Reflection Of You’ is a drama which will admittedly engage or disengage audiences dependent on expectations. Whilst this is generic situation for a lot of K-dramas, ‘ Reflection Of You’ often finds itself digging its own grave at times by its snail-paced progression and dragging out plot points behind its expiry date . This isn’t to say the series is “ terrible” or “ unwatchable”; the acting is fairly dynamic throughout the series, the plot premise is intriguing and there are some wonderfully-interweaved scenes by director Im Hyun Wook to give viewers goosebumps. However the incompletion of a series which was dragged out for viewers alongside mismatched storyline and plot points, can admittedly lead to some mixed-feelings and uncertainty towards the finished product.
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Teen Spirit With A Shaman Twist…
Let’s be honest. The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim’ is a verbatim title. ( As there’s not a lot left to the imagination to work out what this drama is about.) Admittedly Park Ho Jin’s drama doesn’t try to brand itself as “ the next Goblin ” or a “ new fantasy phenomenon”. It is a teen “ cutesy” fantasy tale about the supernatural, but often leans more into the realm of “teen angst” with main leads Ga Doo Shim ( Kim Sae Ron) and fellow classmate Na Woo Soo( Nam Da Reum) ‘s journey through high school also. (At the time of writing director Park’s wish for a sequel season to explore more about the characters was confirmed also .)
As a consequence the drama featured an array of intriguing characters. However their ultimate contribution to the storyline and depth admittedly does vary dependent on screen time and the screenwriting also. Kim Sae Ron was fairly dynamic as quiet and mysterious high-schooler Ga Doo Shim. The former child actress carried an ambience of perfect angst, suaveness and longing which was perfectly matched for her role . As a character it was evident that Doo Shim could’ve gone down two possible routes; one-dimensional and unlikeable by being egotistical , or a more well-rounded heroine who has a likeable charm by struggling with her emotions and carrying empathy. ( Fortunately with our female lead it was the former case. )
Doo Shim’s character development was arguably the most pivotal from begrudgingly accepting that she can see ghosts and trying to be “ normal” , to opening up to new friends ( particularly Na Woo Soo) , feelings and understanding that she can use her powers for the greater good. Yet whilst her setbacks do help to make her feel realistically flawed, there are moments surrounding Doo Shim which felt like more of an excuse to “ heighten dramatic tension ” rather develop her character gradually or focus more time upon making Doo Shim feel realistic.
For example whilst Doo Shim’s relationship with her mother Hyo Shim( Bae Hae Seon) did see the typical rocky road between a parent and a daughter, there was a lot of missed opportunities to explore more about their complex bond . It was evident how much Hyo Shim genuinely cared for her daughter, however, Doo Shim and Hyo Shim rarely had opportunities outside of necessary plot to talk about their shared bereavement , feelings or emotions without queuing into comic relief or angst. Perhaps with a sequel season it is wrong to condemn a final verdict over this relationship as “ poorly-written” overall, however, hopefully season two will give more chances to covering this relationship rather than putting it on the back burner.
Then of course there’s our main male lead Na Woo Soo. Nam Da Reum did a great job as the plucky prodigy with a heart of gold . Initially starting off as a plot device in order to awaken Doo Shim’s “ character growth and feelings”, it was refreshing to see Woo Soo leave the realm as the prosaic potential “love interest” and the “ sidekick who is new to this world” to having more complex depth . One particular focal point to exploring Da Reum’s greater sense of altruism as a character came through his unusual friendship with underdog and best friend Kim Il Nam ( Yoon Jung Hoon). However this is also where we hit a major rut with Woo Soo as a character; he displays emotions, but he rarely acts out upon them unless they’re necessary to the storyline.
There was brimming potential to explore a lot more about Woo Soo’s darker side which he did display at points in the drama such as his silent threat to Jo Soo Jung ( Lee Ji Won) after her potential blackmail, as well as his anger at Kim II Nam during the main events of the storyline. When the story covered the major events surrounding Kim II Nam it seemed odd the drama switched Woo Soo’s personality towards being “ mopey yet calm” rather than using this as a golden opportunity to explore more about Woo Soo’s own negative feelings or hero complex, as well as heal the wound between Woo Soo and Doo Shim helping one another through these events.
Yoo Sun Ho’s performance as witty dead high schooler Hyun Soo was pretty delightful. As a character Hyun Soo serves both as an example of surprising comical foil as well as wasted potential also. On one side whilst Hyun Soo does have his more brief yet bittersweet moments surrounding his death and his search for his mother, he did often cool down more heavy scenes with deadpan expressions or annoying Doo Shim. However there was a lot of unexplored ground with Hyun Soo’s sentience in the series such as being a ghost, never being able to physically age( unlike Doo Shim or Woo Soo), his search for his mother as well as a lack of deep connection between himself and Doo Shim ( who she seems to have grown up with pretty much ) which were never explored and left anticlimactic with the way the drama abruptly ended l his character arc early on .
This moves us onto the antagonistic force of the drama. Now officially there are two antagonists in the drama; the malevolent sprit, and of course an “ unforeseen” antagonist ( until they were revealed after a major incident). Positively this did present more multi-layered complexity than the entity merely being the “ big bad”, as well as pointing out a clear sociocultural criticism towards the cruel “ dog eat dog” hierarchy in the South-Korean education system . On the other whilst their motive was clear and had the potential to be realistically intriguing , their actual reason covered textbook moustache-villainy rather than being given more intrinsic depth. The ending was ( unsurprisingly) fairly anti climatic- not bad per say and certainly helping to add a more conclusive ending for our antagonists, as well as a. interpretative finale for our main leads but nevertheless slightly rushed with the climax coming to a halt early on, rather than being built up or allowing time for rising tension.
So is ‘ The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim’ actually worth watching? Park Ho Jin does a good job at building up our main characters as endearing and likeable leads which are further sold by dynamic performances with Kim Sae Ron and of course Hyun Soo, as well as the mystical and supernatural lore of the drama. On the other hand whilst Ho Jin’s potential sequel season could give room for tying up loose ends and problems ( including exploring character depth and relationships which sometimes felt disregarded), there were several inconclusive screenwriting moments which often felt rushed, cliche, one-dimensional or anticlimactic . Overall ‘ The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim’ certainly remains one of the stronger fantasy drama contenders for 2021 - it is not flawless from a screenwriting perspective and there’s a lot of ground that Ho Jin needs to cover going on forward, but a fairly easygoing watch.
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Bloodshed And History ; Where To Begin With One Of The Most Controversial Dramas Of 2021...
Before getting on to analysing the main storyline and characters of the series as individuals , it is probably most prominent to address two main controversies which ultimately affected character and production in the drama. First, dropping initial actor Ji Soo with his allegations in favour of Na In Woo in episode 7 ( subverting On Dal’s personality ) and then having to reshoot scenes eventually with Na In Woo and releasing the earlier episodes after the initial finale . Whilst a lot of diehard advocates of the show will probably sugarcoat this by stating that “ it didn’t stop the storyline from being good” or “ Kim So Hyun made up for this”, it is important to note that even in early episodes, the series did often feel hampered by several incoherent screenwriting choices.A notable example of poor scriptwriting occurs by the usage of contemporary vernacular in the show’s main setting of the Goguryeo era (37BC – 668AD). Although admittedly it would be equally ridiculous for the show to even attempt speaking in an outdated and incomprehensible tongue for the whole course of the series, it felt laughable when a palace guard or a member of the royal court suddenly sprouted demotic Korean phrases that would not be out of place in an Internet cafe in Seoul today. Of course, it is understandable that the drama does want to resonate with modern audiences, and as a fictionalised story, tweaking history can present an interesting depiction of the director and screenwriter’s thoughts. However, instead of actually bothering to take the time to present authenticity through discourse exchanges, some of the spoken lines of the series felt awkwardly mismatched with its time and setting. ( Though admittedly this did improve in later episodes.)
As a consequence, this often took away from the more intriguing portrayal of the historical costumes , and the storyline ‘s main focus on a warring nation torn by clans. The premise is fairly intriguing by its initial setup of the amnesiac heroine Princess Pyeonggang ( Kim So-hyun) defying her fate , falling in love with “the fool” On Dal ( Ji Soo/ Na In Woo) and of course taking its origins from a modern spin on the traditional folktale based on the 2010 novel Princess Pyeonggang (written by Choi Sa-gyu).
Nevertheless, Kim So-Hyun is able to brilliantly capture Pyeonggang ( or “ Ga Jin”) through her individual performance , however, something which should initially be addressed as an example of questionable miscasting, was the choice also to use So-Hyun to play her character’s mother, Queen Yeon during flashbacks in early episodes. ( Leading to a lot of confusion for first-time viewers of the show.)
In addition to this whilst it is hard to fault Kim So Hyun’s performance, her character felt oddly-written. When we are first introduced to Ga Jin she is a ‘’blank slate’’ due to not possessing defining memories of her past. However, the main issue towards Pyeonggang is due to her character development as the story progresses. We were told that Pyeonggang grew up as a top assassin Yeom Ga-jin, which implied that she should not only be skilled in martial arts, but also would be able to be quick-thinking in dire situations. Yet often during key events in the series, Ga Jin/ Pyeonggang was often reckless and foolish. Near the ending, admittedly Pyeonggang did resort back to her resilient and tough role as the heroine, however, the development in between deeply questioned how such a fierce, decisive and brave warrior from the flash-forward during the opening montage matched up with the character who seemed to unfold over the course of the series in front of viewers’ eyes.
This moves us onto the biggest elephant in the room, On Dal. Being played by two different actors, there is the most evident problem of how to assess this character from the two difference performances upon the archetype of the ‘ kind-hearted and foolish male lead’.
Ji Soo seemed to capture the ‘ fool’ as benign and goofy, adding a notably fractious and eccentric undertone to On Dal as a character. However, Na In Woo took a less childish approach to On Dal’s constant grins and confused tone , through dumbstruck expressions for the latter part of the series before taking on a more serious tone towards the character (as he is becomes a more revered individual due to the circumstances ). Regardless, On Dal acts as a major asset within Pyeonggang’s journey of self discovery and their fairly sweet romance tale by bringing out her personality and as a tie to her complicated past. However, the problem still remains not merely by the different performances of On Dal for viewers , but trying to flesh-out On-Dal as a sentient character.
In fact, this was an evident problem between how the show dedicated time to sketching out the drama’s personae , but it’s hard to really “ grasp” or feel intricate emotional attachment towards most of them. The early episodes of the drama enjoyed using the stock side characters of the village as comic relief, before in the second half and the time-skip bringing in a multitude of either newly introduced or previously mentioned antagonists and characters . (Whilst many of these characters and villains were incredibly interesting , they often struggled to have decent screen time in order to develop out of their one-dimensional shell.)
Perhaps the one character in the show who was surprisingly quite intriguing in the beginning of the series was General Go Geon ( Lee Ji Hoon). As it may seem evident through tropes, Go Geon naturally becomes the ‘ second love interest’ through his ‘ complicated’ feelings with Ga-Jin. However, whilst Go Geon did surprisingly possess the potential role as an an intriguingly motivated anti-hero in the series, his role ( without any spoilers) was sadly blanked out due to poor character development.
The ending was predictable to say the least and arguably anticlimactic by straying away from the actual conclusion of the renowned tale. Of course, this is a fictionalised drama and having an artistic license is not inherently wrong. However, the ending may cause a little bit of head scratching for viewers by ( the change of actors for On Dal aside) the entire flashforward , weather and certain events being subverted entirely. In addition to this, the ending felt more like a ” quick-fix”, than being built upon strong foundations by the slow-paced storyline (in parts ) diminishing often the more intriguing elements of the drama.
So, is ” A Moon Where The River Rises” being unfairly criticised, or is it genuinely a good watch? Controversies aside, whilst the aesthetic cinematography, a high-budget production value ( especially remaining apparent with its CGI and beautiful outfits) and Kim So Hyun ’s brilliant performance remained compelling enticements towards watching the drama, ” River Where The Moon Rises" suffered ultimately from whimsical screenwriting. Intriguing characters and villains often felt half-baked, the overused tropes in the first-half of the series often made the second-half struggle to catch-up with the more intriguing elements of the storyline ( resulting in slow-pacing also ) and the ending felt rushed to say the least. Ultimately, ” River Where The Moon Rises” isn’t a dire or terrible drama and certainly does have some redeemable qualities , however, there are better sageuks ( historical dramas) out there with stronger plots, more three-dimensional characters and well-written endings also.
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Will ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ Treat Your Expectations?
TVING originals have long been held in regard by critics and viewers alike for slick cinematography and shots. However, ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ was an odd anomaly. The series’ shaky camera shots and editing presented the series as surprisingly mediocre for a TVNING original; a low-budget sitcom which whilst heartwarming in necessary parts, often struggled to truly deliver the last laugh.
Adapted from former doctor Jang Bong-Soo’s popular webcomic, the series revolved around Doctor Park Won Jang ( Lee Seo-jin); a seemingly third-rate doctor who has just opened his first medical clinic.
Despite constantly worrying about his recent onset of alopecia and his wife Sa Mo-Rim’s ( Ra Mi-Ran) overspending , Doctor Park’s dreams of becoming an affluent doctor are soon scuppered when his patient numbers begin to dwindle. Determined to turn things around, Doctor Park decides to do his utmost to save his clinic, even if it means unintentionally making things worse along the way…
Perhaps one notable thing to comment about the series is that ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ is a fairly lighthearted series for the most part. Whilst the series does delve into some darker and angst-ridden subject areas at times ( especially by the latter-half), screenwriter and director Seo Joon Bin was able to uplift the mood of the series with regards to one of the drama’s most questionable presences; the comic relief.
Admittedly it isn’t out of the question for a comedy series to experiment and diversify between different formats. This can often allow a series to reiterate satire, offer angst-free respite or even play around with wry comedy.
However one of the most apparent faults with screenwriter Joon Bin’s style is attempting miserably to strike a balance between being a jovial sitcom (fourth wall-breaking and comical setups ) and a more bittersweet , satirical brand of comedy ( particularly with its jokes surrounding capitalism, brands, medical condition and South-Korean work and social culture) but ended up doing both formats a disservice.
Admittedly ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ did attempt to offer viewers some emotional punches- a revelation from Dr.Park’s “tragic” past, several angst-ridden moments as well as a surprisingly uplifting and crisp ending along the way were specifically placed to evoke a twinge of sympathy and pity for viewers. Nevertheless, heartfelt moments were admittedly less impactful in the the long-term memory of viewers who will likely forget these moments after completing the series.
Lee Seo-jin ( ‘ Damo’, ‘ Yi San’ and ‘ Marriage Contract’) starred as main lead Park Won Jang, whilst costar Ra Mi-Ran ( ‘ The Himalayas’ ’, ‘ The Avengers Social Club’ and Black Dog ‘ ) played Won Jang’s wife and main female lead Sa Mo-Rim. Respectfully whilst both main leads’ performances could across as somewhat corny in parts, Ra and Lee offered solid performances throughout, with Ra Mi-Ran notably adding a surprisingly endearing charm to her onscreen persona.
The supporting cast offered decent performances. Whilst there were admittedly some strained deliverances of dialogue and acting, the supporting cast were able to offer some surprising charm during other moments in the drama.
In particular, the supporting cast included Cha Chung Hwa ( ‘ Harmony’, ‘ Black’ and ‘ Pawn’) as witty head nurse Choi Mi Young, Shin Eun Jung ( ‘East of Eden’, ‘ Faith’ and ‘ Navillera’) starring as angelic-faced yet acerbic- tongued Dr. Sun Woo Soo Jin , Kim Kwang Gyu ( ‘ Friend’, ‘ Scent Of A Woman’ and ‘ I Can Hear Your Voice’) playing mixed coffee-enthusiast , obstetrician and gynecologist Ji Min-Ji, Jung Hyung-Suk ( ‘ A Mystery Of The Cube’, ‘ The Banker’ and screenwriter and director for ‘ The Land of Seonghye’) as director of the urology department, whilst Seo Bum Jun ( ‘ Nevertheless’, ‘ Rookie Cops’) played the head nurse’s son and Joo Woo Yeon as well as child actor Kim Kang Hoon ( ‘ Mr Sunshine’, ‘ When The Camellia Blooms’ and ‘ Racket Boys’) took on the roles as Park’s two sons.
Due to the short length of the series, ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ is able to maintain a pacy speed throughout its duration. Naturally, the expedited narrative pacing did create a double-edged sword; fast-pacing helping to deescalate potentially tedious setups and scenarios, whilst sadly rarely giving opportunities and time to explore its odd array of characters and potentially tour de force moments either.
The cinematography of the series is notably a mixture of amateurish and surprisingly basic shots, as well as some insightful glimpses into the lives of our main characters. Whilst simplicity isn’t always necessarily bad per say, it could sometimes reduce opportunities in order to explore the intuitive shots or boast slick and unobstructed editing and cutting. The OST is also notably faintly memorable for viewers; helpful for promoting emotive moments and tones, but rarely delivering an impactful presence either.
Uplifting, lighthearted and melodramatic in parts, ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ is specifically what it says on the tin: a social comedy about a mediocre clinic with an array of eccentric characters being introduced onto the scene. The acting performances are decent enough but the deliverance of comic relief is admittedly variable. Perhaps the comical exchanges will generate a few laughs for audiences, whilst others may be dissatisfied by the generic setups and comical elements along the way. Overall, ‘ Dr Park’s Clinic’ is a decent binge-watch; watchable but lacking a certain memorable edge also.
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‘Nevertheless’- The Drama That Failed To Reach Its Full Potential.
It feels as though “ mature” tag romance dramas aren’t often taken seriously in K-dramas, but ‘ Nevertheless’ attempts to present things differently. The webcomic-based drama focuses upon the turbulent relationship between art students Nabi ( Han So Hee) and Jae Uhn ( Song Kang) connected together throughout their infatuation with butterflies. However (controversies aside surrounding the allegation case of actor Kim Min Gwi), whilst ‘ Nevertheless’ soared high at times, the drama could often find itself smacked face into the ground with its own problematic flaws also.
Watching the "relationship" between Nabi and Jae Eon play out is similar to getting stung repeatedly by a swarm of killer bees and then falling in a ditch filled of stinging nettles and vipers. Nabi and Jae Uhn aren’t in an overtly healthy relationship . Nabi is revealed to have been a victim of several abusive relationship in the past, and so projects her anxiety into committing herself again into a long-term relationship by seemingly maintaining only sexual intimacy with Jae Uhn. In the first episode alone, Nabi even admits openly to viewers that ‘I don’t believe in fate or love anymore. But this situation, it’s pretty unrealistic’.( Yet secretly yearns for more .)On the other hand, Jae Uhn’s nature is seemingly “ obscured from view”- one minute he happily pines over Nabi, the next he is chatting another girl up, only to pull out serious red flags when he suddenly appear out of nowhere in front of Nabi to “ save the day” .
Of course this is supposed to be the plot device that keeps the main storyline moving . Jae Eon and Nabi are both flawed people who only bring out the worst in one another. (That’s the point. )However, this is also where the drama failed to utilise this storyline to its full potential also. Director Kim Ga Ram may have seemed to think it was a good idea to bog down 20 minutes of screen-time with brooding eye- exchanges between Nabi and Jae Eon onscreen, but having an episode with only
20-25 minutes of quintessential storyline, 20-25 minutes of moody gazes, saucy scenes and then only a brief checkup on subplots isn’t entirely the best format to follow for every episode . Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if the drama had gradually increased the essential storyline scenes as the series progressed, but soon the drama began to lose a lot of its original intrigue an incessant loop of pretty much the same setup where Nabi or Jae Eon would be lusting over the other, a misunderstanding would occur, they’d ghost one another or make the problem worse ( usually hurting one another or someone else in the process), lengthy scenes of pining gazes would occupy screen time, a cut to one of the subplots and then suddenly Nabi and Jae Eon are on “ reasonable” terms again.
Of course this is nothing to do with the actress behind Nabi .Soo Hee really captivated her role well. The slight uncertainty morphing onto her face and a twitch of her hand with trepidation really helped to animate her onscreen persona to life. However, as a character, Nabi’s was seriously poorly-written . The female lead initially starts off the drama as a sympathetic female lead; we are made aware of her experiences early on, and can see how she is falling hook, line and sinker again into a toxic relationship with Jae Eon as she even voices her own awareness that ‘It feels like something new is about to begin. I’m probably not mistaken’. Although where Nabi ultimately failed as a character wasn’t inherently to do with her conflicted feelings between Jae Eon and the softer option with Doo Hyuk ( Chae Jong Hyeop), but her self-depreciation and lack of self-respect as an individual . Yes, Nabi is a victim of abuse and we cannot forget that. However, it is a really irksome fallacy by screenwriters and writers that someone in Nabi’s vulnerable position” can somehow be fixed from years of emotional trauma by being in a " committed relationship ”. Nabi ( at the end of the day) had serious emotional and psychological issues which needed time and healing, not implicating her in order to keep a poorly enforced plot device working .
This isn’t to entirely drag and degrade the series down. The OST was pretty good, and Ga Ram’s cinematography was really mesmerising also. Two memorable scenes of the drama came through how director Kim Ga Ram inter-played lighting and symbolism here subtly- Jae Uhn in the room of butterflies with the door ajar yet all of them trapped with him, and then the open freedom of the meadow with Doo Hyuk and Nabi sat together enjoying the natural world overtly. The creative juices can only run so far into a series, however, before the problems soon dry them up. For example whilst Song Kang is a good actor, he didn’t feel entirely right as Jae Eon . He did certainly captivate the charismatic ambience of the main male lead , but he was honestly a little lacklustre by rarely radiating prominent vitality as his onscreen Casanova persona.
Of course the subplot characters were fairly intriguing in their own right - cool-headed and punk aesthetically adorned Oh Bit Na ( Yang Hye Ji), a good friend of Nabi, and the taciturn Nam Kyu Hyun had a constant “ will they, won’t they?” dynamic to their relationship. However with the controversial scandal surrounding Min Gwi, the producers made a quick and prompt decision to entirely cut out Kyu Hyun and Bit Na’s relationship scenes( as much as possible) during the last few episodes.Effectively this had a detrimental impact upon an important side couple’s development. However, this problem was also found with Sol ( Lee Ho-Jung) and Sol’s repressed feelings towards her blatantly oblivious best friend Seo Ji Wan ( Yoon Seo Ah) ‘s lacking screen time was diminished even further by the focus on the teachers and their” chemistry” in order to make up for lost screen time between Kyu Hyun and Bit Na.It wasn’t bad per say this couple being focused upon , but there were a myriad of variable storylines which were poorly sketched-out or abandoned throughout the drama which could’ve been explored instead such as the mysterious man that Yoon Soo bumped into, exploring Sol’s sexuality and feelings in more detail ( as well as her possible reasons for liking an unlikely person like Ji Wan), Jae Eon’s interactions with his family possibly providing further indicators into his current mind-frame , exploring Bit Na’s friendships as well as her experiences with trauma and even Jae Eon’s -ex’s story were all beyond wasted potential. The ending only provided this as case and point by failing to tie off loose ends as well as justify Nabi’s chance to heal and gain self respect.
So, is ‘ Nevertheless ’ actually worth watching? The delivered result of ‘ Nevertheless’ will ultimately vary for a lot of drama fans. Many will likely praise the more explorative and daring promiscuous themes in the drama, as well as the art house-style cinematography, the alternative OST and most of the cast. However, it is easy to see where ‘ Nevertheless’ also fails to reach the mark ; the pacing was off even at the best of times, the turbulent relationships ( including the side couples ) rarely met their full-potential and the main characters weren’t given enough opportunities to escape their one-dimensional shells as plot devices. Certainly not a cataclysmic drama, but sadly failing to reach its full potential also.
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An “ Uncanny” Tale of Family , Friendship and The Supernatural...
Looking back retrospectively , Uncanny Counter has an undeniable amount of character progression since episode 1 for our main high-schooler hero Mun( Jo Byung Koo) as well as his fellow counters Mo Tak ( Yoo Joon Sang), Ha Na ( Kim Se Jeong) and of course Chu Mae Ok ( Yeom Hye Ran), yet, it’s crucial not to sugarcoat the fact that at times , the storyline felt a little inconsistent and slow- paced ( especially by the second-half )as well.
Of course it’s wrong to say that the scriptwriting was dire, as the story and characters were fairly well-written. Thanks to the collaboration of screenwriters Jung Do Yoon ( Witch’s Court, The Time We Were Not In Love), Yeo Ji Na ( Il Mare) and Kim Sae Bom ( Hello Schoolgirl), the wonderful talents of the cast and director Yoo Seon Dong ( respectively who has also worked as a screenwriter on productions such as Shoot My Heart),the show was interwoven with enough action and fights in episodes without falling down the trap of becoming a mindless and dull action show.
Uncanny Counter had an evident story plot with the Counters chasing after the “ big bad” antagonist of the series from episode 1, as well as learning more about themselves through becoming a surrogate family for one another in the process. This was an undeniably sweet progression for our characters , however , there was a little bit of repetitiveness before the half-way mark with the typical episode progression of the counters chasing after a / the “ big bad” spirit , a conflict or event gone wrong and one of the main characters beginning to doubt their abilities or recollection of events ( particularly for Mun).
As a consequence the show sometimes felt a little lagging in the second-half, consequently meaning that there were some undeniably inconsistent moments for our heroes as well as deeper questions about the other-side. Just some of these include; Mun’s presumable absences at school ( during certain missions) not being raised or alerted , Mo Tak’s slightly lacklustre reactions towards certain events in the storyline, the fate of Ha Na’s family ( and considering the final ending, if she could’ve have been granted the same wish) , the relationship between Mae Ok and her husband as well as questions about the other side( not least what happens to the guides when their Counter fades, who controls the guardians and what happens to the spirits of the Counters). Whilst some of these point are mainly minor , they do point out some slightly loose ties within the overall story arch.
Overall although not a flawless production ,Uncanny Counter was a good drama and its success has certainly been sealed by the unusual decision ( especially for OCN) to bring out a second season
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Light And Sugary Sweet, But Will It Truly ” Touch” Your Heart.?
There are probably three main factors which will drive watchers to picking up this drama.Let’s not kid ourselves, though. The majority of watchers will probably be drawn to this series for our main costars Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na performing again as starred-crossed lovers after their renowned onscreen chemistry in the hit-drama Goblin; The Great And Lonely And Great God (2016-17).
However, here’s the biggest question that anyone watching this drama and looking through a series of often biased verdicts by watchers praising it with “10/10”; is it actually worth watching ?
Perhaps the most important thing to summarise about ” Touch Your Heart" is that the majority of the show is an easy-going, romantic comedy.The drama follows actress Oh Yeon Seo (Yoo In Na) who had rose to fame because of her enthralling innocent look, which made her the crème de la crème of commercial films or advertisements in South-Korea. However despite desperately yearning to be taken seriously as an A-list actress, she was widely critiqued for her bad acting.
Unfortunately, she got caught in a drug scandal with a big business tycoon, which damaged her career and forced her to off the grid. Two years later, Yeon Seo’s reputation and name is still being dragged in the mud by the controversy with no solid acting offers or contracts, but she continued to lift her head up high. Then one day, she discovers a drama script for another actress in their agency, and becomes infatuated with the premise, fantasying about taking up the role as a lawyer. Convincing the screenwriter to cast her despite initial rejection , the writer finally acquiesces under one condition ; Yeon Seo has to prepare for the role by working in a law-related job for three months. This is easier said than done, however, when Yeon Seo starts off on the wrong foot with the seemingly stoic and straightforward top lawyer at the company, Jung Rok ( Lee Dong Wook). Yet as Yeon Seo and Jung Rok begin to bicker and run into predicaments, both main leads soon find their hearts being melted by one another’s love...
A concept such as ” Touch Your Heart" can easily grow tiresome by the archetypical characters and cliches because it is not entirely unique in itself. Admittedly, this became evident at times within the show becoming enthralled with its own treasure trove of cliches, however, its wrong to entirely dismiss that there was nothing inherently enjoyable about the formula either. The majority of characters ( including secondary ones ) were enjoyable and although they often took time to grow close towards, they had time to sometimes grow outside of the more evident labels enforced in the beginning of the show.
The main female lead Yeon Seo did seem to ring warning bells initially of going down the " ditsy goddess” trope early on in the drama. Whilst Yeon Seo could often be prescribed to the previous trope at times , she was often a loveable character by her genuineness, intellect , resilience and Yoo In Na’s added charm. Lee Dong Wook’s chosen role as Jung Rok may rise eyebrows by his straight-laced role again as the ” stern and abrasive male lead ” ( similar to Goblin), however, Dong Wook seemed to be able to capture Jung Rok’s journey out his shell and development as an individual with emotions and feelings, especially regarding his relationship with Yeon Seo.
Perhaps the one refreshing element of their bond came through defying unhealthy tropes . Yes, there relationship was cliche-ridden by being founded upon the ” opposites attract” and ” rivals to lovers" archetypes , but as their relationship developed, it became apparent that they were able to grow out of the shadows of falling into the territories of ” romanticised” emotional abuse and gaslighting. The couple soon began to grow on mutual respect as they were able to smooth-out misunderstandings by Jung Rok’s brusqueness and Yoon Seo’s emotional honesty .
Even our secondary couple consisting of Lawyer Choi Yoon Hyuk (Shim Hyung Tak) and Lawyer Dan Moon Hee (Park Kyung Hye)was oddly entertaining. Their pairing could could have easily blown into being poorly-sketched and tiresome by the cliches of their stereotypical contractual relationship and full-on personalities , however, beyond the stereotypes of being one another’s ” adversaries ", Yoon Hyuk being a " spoilt mama’s boy" and Moon Hee falling for her looks, they did have some genuine heartfelt moments which helped to fortify the characters as individuals.
On one critical note, whilst the storyline revolving around the prosecutors Jung Rok’s close friend and roommate Kim Se Won (Lee Sang Woo) and Yoo Yeo Reum (Song Sung Yoon was necessary to some extent for plot development , their associated storyline did drag on due to an overexposure with screen time . The friendship dynamic between Se Won and Jung Rok of course was heartwarming in parts, however, having intrigue around Se Won and Yeo Rum as individuals was minimal due to lacking development and an overuse of cliches dragging these characters( in some circumstances)as dull plot mechanisms.
Overall, ” Touch Your Heart" is an entertaining drama- formulaic in parts, with a sprinkle of angst but mostly topped with a lighthearted viewing experience for watchers to help take your mind off heavier subject areas. The cast undeniably were brilliant for the most part ( although though there were some questionable line deliverances) by helping to bring the characters to life. Even the easygoing OST helped to warm up scenes and add a spark to Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na’s fairly good acting behind an enjoyable and heartfelt romance onscreen. If you’re a fan of cute and fluffy romantic comedies with a touch of humanity, or you desire to see new life being breathed into certain old cliches, then ” Touch Your Heart" is certainly for you.
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Will You ‘ Cha Cha Cha’ into watching this drama?
Aside from its questionable title ‘ Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ is a remake of the rom-com’ Mr. Hong’ (2004) updated and directed by Yoo Je-won, the same director behind dramas such as ‘Oh My Ghostess’ and ‘Tomorrow With You’. The storyline isn’t labyrinthine . Cha-Cha-Cha is a straightforward rom-com ( taken from the original movie) of “ city girl moves back to the sticks and falls in love”. However this boils down to the ultimate question for newcomers thinking of picking the series up; “is ‘ Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ actually worth watching? “
Arguably the drama does a really good job at subverting certain cliches and stereotypes beyond the expectations of viewers . Whilst the villagers are sometimes used for stock comedy , they are often more than just filler characters also. Many of them have their own problems which are revealed as the series progresses. For example Oh Cheon-jae (Jo Han-chul) is a cafe owner and a washed-up one hit wonder who despite often ending up as the butt end of the joke, has a more sensitive side by desperately yearning to return back to his brief glory days. There was something oddly heartfelt about each episode taking a moment away in order to focus upon side characters such as the village grandmas who main heroine Hye Jin (Shin Min Ah ) encounters in this small seaside town.
On the other hand this brings us onto one of the biggest elephants in the room surrounding our main female lead Hye Jin. Actress Shin Min Ah is decent enough here. On the other hand her onscreen persona Hye Jin is trickier to address. Hye-Jin is the epitome of the “ carte blanche female lead”; a character who has some necessary plot-driven angst, sweetness and backstory, but rarely has more definitive depth, emotions and realistic flaws.
Adding to the issue of Hye-Jin’s character arc is that whilst she does have “flaws” they’re never really pointed out by director Je-Won more directly . This is because Je-Won tries too hard to present Hye-Jin as a “ loveable and perfect” female heroine without considering that perfection can often be flawed . Of course our MC does have her sob story and angst-ridden moments later on in the series but these scenes rarely enforced more powerful emotions onto viewers as there was little to make Hye-Jin grow or learn from her past mistakes . This was case and point when others such as male lead and main love interest Du Sik( Kim Seon Ho) pointed out Hye-Jin’s mistakes at times as arrogant or rude, the drama rarely gave her the chance to grow or explain herself without either turning the blame on Du Sik for interfering, making Hye-Jin burst into tears or failing to accept her own mistakes sincerely . The problem with Hye Jin is that her character arc runs on pure plot device steam than actual character writing- we never find out what really drives Hye Jin either through her current flaws addressed, her career and future goals ( rather than mere romance) or for the sake of plot.
This moves us onto main lead Du Sik. Similar to costar Shin Min Ah, Kim Seon Ho was delightful as dexterous “all-round-ace” Du Sik- adding his own sweet charm to a character with a surprising amount of profoundness . He’s an extrovert, incredibly talented at everything and good-natured but also shares his own personal troubles as well. On the other hand whilst later episode scenes relished in tackling Du Sik’s past, this did feel slightly rushed than well-paced. We do see Du Sik’s problems build-up in early scenes and it was surprisingly refreshing to see vulnerability against a seemingly “ strong” character such as Du Sik.
Consequently it felt as though the drama could’ve done more to have built-up dramatic tension around Du Sik’s past and character arc. Whilst it is used to present drama and a spanner in the works with his relationship with Hye Jin, it was evidently used to add some tension and dramatic dilemmas rather than feeling gradually built up or allowing to present the profound connection between our leads more sincerely.
This of course leads us to discussing about the romantic setup between our leads which is (unsurprisingly)a rocky road. On a positive note it was heartwarming to see their feelings blossom . Even from the first episode the route of potential romance between our main characters was obvious. Bland chemistry in early episodes was ignited by more cutesy interactions as episodes progressed as well as fire added to the flames with dramatic tension keeping the ball game going between the two characters.
Similar to his previous works, Yoo Je-Won adds his own personal touch of oozy sweetness to the overall production. Pohang City in the province of North Gyeongsang in South Korea sets the perfect location for the fictional Gongjin village. The blue horizons of clear skies and crystal waters, provided an idealistic escape throughout the series.Vivid cinematography accentuates scenes alongside bright lighting, whilst more slapstick comedy from the original movie is replaced by a few farce scenes in order to focus upon more meaningful scenes between its main characters. The ending offers a more bittersweet note for viewers with an ending that was sweet but admittedly expected.
‘ Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ is the epitome of a rudimentary sweet sugary ice cream treat- cutesy fluff and with its own bittersweet edge at times, but it could easily melt under the pressure of its own plot build-up and dramatic tension. Overall it is really dependent on what you’re looking for in a drama- a quick, easy and back-burner romance setup ( which you’ve probably seen a million times already) in order to pass the time? Then definitely.
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A Good Side-Story…
We’ve all been there . The show or production which won our hearts, ignites intensified hope over news of a sequel or spin-off in the making, hype is sparked online and by word of mouth and then when we act will then receive the actual final product, it is often with mixed-results.
‘ Ashin: Kingdom Of The North’ could’ve easily gone in either of these directions. An official spin-off by original director Kim Sung Hoon and screenwriter Kim Eun Hee of the hit zombie period-series ‘ Kingdom’, ‘ Ashin: Kingdom Of The North’ had a lot of excitement and worry by watchers around the delivered result of a whole production focusing on a side character only shown briefly at the end of the second season.
As a character, the special is quick to cut short to the chase about her past without feeling disregarded or predominating screen time. The daughter of a secret spy who is devoted to Joseon in a border village, Ashin’s revenge becomes more prominent as the story plays out and takes her down many wrong paths. It was intriguing to see how the production could balance out between actually developing Ashin as more than a one-dimensional shell, by duelling this onscreen tale with the threat of the zombie outbreak beginning to take root. Yet viewers should not worry as the production balances out the two storylines as two sides of the same coin; different, yet helping to interchangeably motivate the events of one another as the production progresses.
As this was shown from Ashin’s view of the world at times, it was intriguing to wonder whether any original characters from ‘ Kingdom’ would pop up in the storyline. Sure enough, actor Park Byung Eun took a fairly central role again as Min Chi Rok, the heroic inspector general from the main storyline of ‘ Kingdom’. Intriguingly unlike in ‘ Kingdom’ and as prior events to the main storyline it was fairly astounding to see Chi Rok in a more antagonistic light. Whilst ‘ Ashin: Kingdom of North’ was merely the necessary foreground in order to establish the titular character properly before later seasons and there is still a lot of potential with understanding Chi Rok’s motives, it would have been equally interesting to invested a little bit of side time here within understanding Chi Rok’s shift from villainous to righteousness between the two storylines.
Of course any critique of this production would not be complete without mentioning the brilliance of Jun Ji Hyun as Ashin, as well of course younger actress Kim Shi Ah as Ashin’s younger-self. However , Ashin's character in this special episode doesn’t have a lot of dialogue opportunities. It is understandable this is meant to reflect Ashin’s sense of character, and Ji Hyun is really good with the source material ( even without as many speaking opportunities), but this is certainly a more critical point to note.
‘ Ashin; Kingdom Of The North’ was an outstanding move by the director and screenwriter to establish and bring to life Ashin as an individual in her own right, without straying away from the violent, historical or political undertones of past seasons. Although the storyline sometimes wobbled underneath the problem of with scenes over the long duration time, drawing away from the more thrilling adrenaline-infused rush of action shots, the screenwriter was by no means a mess. The special intensifies the warring troubles of political instability amongst the people, a spine-tingling soundtrack accompanied by beautiful cinematography, historically accurate onscreen costumes and dialogue that is further captivated by the brilliant performances of the main cast. A good watch.
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A Laughable and a Hare-Brained Makjang...
“A Man in a veil” is the epitome of the infamously coined “ Makjang” by South-Koreans ( used to describe plot concepts which are equivalent to the reputation of telenovelas - so ridiculous, cliche and unrealistic that they often fall into the “ so bad, it’s good” category). From ‘ pseudoscience’, ‘ revenge’ to ‘ lost family’ cliches, “ A Man in a veil” throws in all the towels to be a ridiculous hundred and five-episode extravaganza of wooden acting , fairly one-dimensional characters and tropes.“ A Man in a Veil ” takes on the typical revenge cliche of a man with an intellectual disability called Tae Poong ( Kang Eun Tak) whose destiny is gradually torn apart by two sisters; the intrinsically “selfish” Yu Ra ( Lee Chae Young) who begins to manipulate and blackmail him throughout the series, and the “ kind-hearted” sister Yu Jung ( Uhm Hyun Kyung) who holds strong feelings towards him. His life changes forever, however, when a tragedy causes a second chance for Tae Poong to extract his revenge on everyone who has wronged him.
Whilst the revenge cliche was possibly the most intriguing of the show, “ A Man in a Veil” didn’t truly use this to either flesh-out nor deepen the characters, with Tae Poong often feeling more like a “ stock male lead” with little interest for viewers or emotional depth behind his actions. ( Apart from Eun Tak’s random screaming matches and “pained “ facial expressions when it was necessary for the “ plot”). Arguably, Yu Jung did have a little more depth than Tae Poong, due to her complicated feelings for both him and the second male lead Seo Jun ( Lee Shi Kang), her later tragedy and motivation towards getting back at her sister and a family revelation as well. On the other hand, considering the emotional and traumatic depth in reality towards this tragic event which took place in the series, Yu Jung not mentioning this again after it was necessary for the “ story” felt both lacklustre and poorly- written in the grand scheme of character- writing.
Ironically , one of the worst-written characters in the show must go towards Yu Ra as both an individual and an antagonist . It was evident from the get-go that screenwriter Lee Jung Dae wasn’t attending to make Yu Ra a “ sympathetic villain”” - she’s inherently a selfish and despicable character who later becomes deluded by her own abilities to outwit others. On the other hand, it’s hard to really understand what makes Yu Ra actually tick or the actual motives behind her thoughts, apart from not wanting to “ be in poverty” and “ survive”. To make matters worse, we very rarely got to see Yu Ra as an actual human being. The several moments which could have offered genuine intrigue into Yu Ra as a character ( such as her past and later events) were entirely written-off to make Yu Ra’s schemes more and more unbelievably ridiculous by each episode. ( Counterpart to the other antagonistic character played by Kim Hee Jung as Joo Hwa Yeon.)
This certainly leads the storyline to take on a dragging and lacklustre focus between the three primary storylines; Tae Poong and his revenge, Yu Ra’s attempt to climb-up the social ladder and the dirty secrets of their associates ( including Yu Jung and Yu Ra’s parents as well as Seo Jun’s mother and father). Whilst arguably each storyline did have some attraction in how they played out, before even the halfway point, the show began to draw itself too much away from the main protagonist’s own ventures into other characters’ lacklustre storylines, which took away many of the twists which were supposed to be “ emotional” and “ shocking” for viewers with little delivering impact for viewers .
Consequently the plot inconsistencies of the show were beyond incoherent - CCTV cameras, criminal investigations and actual forensics are nonexistent , the characters are ridiculously dumb enough to make the same mistakes over and over in favour of “ plot motivation” and later “relevant twists” completely contradict earlier statements made in the show.
Perhaps it is due to the fact that the show is so detached from coherent plot line , or, the fact that the stylist’s choices are so outdated ( including product placement) helps the show to seem older , but, “A Man In A Veil” is a perfect example of a show more than a decade behind recent trends - the characters have no depth or actual intrigue for viewers , the storyline is filled to the brim with more and more ridiculous cliches, and even the ending felt a little lacklustre. ( In particular after building more than 80 episodes of Tae Poong seeking revenge only to be “ miraculously solved” with little sense of conflict or poetic justice for our main lead . )It’s fair to say that “ A Man in a veil” is a typical makjang- certainly not worth watching if you’re looking for something deep, but so laughable, it keeps you watching to see what hare-brained scheme the scriptwriter tried to come up with next.
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One Of The Best Korean Dramas In Years....
There has been a noticeable recent wave of South-Korean horror shows in recent years, and there’s no denying that OCN’s The Guest (2018) is not a byproduct of this recent trend.Yet despite this label as a contemporary drama, The Guest truly plays upon something timelessly classic within its universal horror theme of primeval and the unknown through suspense and dread.
The story premise revolves around our main Male lead, psychic Hwa Pyung ( Kim Dong Wook) chasing after a malevolent demon called Sohn who disturbingly drives people insane. Under the non-conspicuous job occupation as a taxi driver, Hwa- Pyung’s journey to finding Sohn seemingly becomes closer when he is invariably connected with the mysterious Catholic priest Choi Yoon ( Kim Jae Wook) and cynical detective Kang Gil Young ( Jung Eun Chae) ; all of whom have mysterious links to Sohn through their pasts.
As our main lead,Kim Dong Wook seems an unlikely choice to play our main hero,however, his sense of genuine sincerity and anguish in his performance truly captured the essence of Hwa Pyung as a sincere and scarred individual. Alongside Dong Wook costar Kim Jae Wook’s role as the aloof and taciturn Catholic Priest Choi Yoon, truly captured the intrinsic and deeper questioning of a man shaped by traumas. Although less in the limelight than her fellows costars, Eun Chae channelled also the genuine cynicism and doubt of one of the few female officers in her department as well as an individual led by logic.
Yet beyond some more questionable acting performances by some members of the cast, The Guest’s beauty lay within its characterisation; Choi Yoon initially distrusts Hwa Pyung just as much as Eun Chae is doubtful of the “ mumbo jumbo” beliefs of the “ superstitious” duo on their first initial meeting. It is only when the entire trio are forced to rely heavily upon one another, that they begin to develop genuine friendships and bonds, trialed and tested repeatedly throughout the drama’s later revelations.
Adding to theme of horror , The Guest refreshingly did not rely upon cheap jump scares to generate the genuine bloodcurdling moments when demons transcended beyond the realms of nightmares to reality.
In one scene in particular when Hwa- Pyung is walking through a hospital, the specific usage of lucid lighting and an eery blue glow in the background will truly send shivers down your spine before the climax of the scene. In another scene in the show, Yoon’s quick walk down a district street in Seoul becomes contorted with distorted streetlights, a clear and purposefully ironic homage to The Exorcist (1973).
Although not flawless from several moments of lacklustre acting and undeniably slow pacing in earlier episodes, The Guest was undeniably a brilliant show filled with intriguing storyline, characters and true spine tingling moments as well. Certainly one of the best Korean Dramas in a long time.
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